Freezing tray



Jan. 5, 1943. c. H. STEENSTRUP FREEZING TRAY Filed Feb. 21, 1939 Carl H. Steenstr'up, by ,z .JMA,

His Abt car-neg.

Patented Jan. 5, 1943 FICE,

FREEZING TRAY Carl H. Steenstrup,

Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation'oi' New York Application February 21, 1939, Serial No. 257,636

6 Claims.

My invention relates to freezing trays of the type having partition elements or a grid assembly arranged to facilitate the removal of ice cubes or blocks without thawing and constitutes an improvement over the invention disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 147,056, filed June 2,265,705, and assigned to the same assignee as my present invention.

It is an object of my invention to provide a partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements forming a plurality of walls of ice block compartments and an improved arrangement for retaining the partition elements in assembled relation and for accommodating relative movements between the partition elements to facilitate the release of the ice blocks therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to provide a partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements and an improved arrangement of a plurality of ice block compartment walls on each of said elements so arranged as to facilitate the release of the ice blocks therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a freezing tray and a partition assembly therefor including an improved arrangement for facilitating the initial breaking loose and removal of ice blocks from the tray and partition walls.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an nd partition assembly embodying my Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the grid assembly shown in Fig. I removed from the tray and with the several parts of one of the par tition elements shown prior to assembly; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the tray shown in Fig. 1 showing an ice block being removed from the first compartment thereof; and Fig. 4 'is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified arrangement of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown an elongated freezing tray l provided with a partition assembly comprising a plurality of similar T-shaped partition elements ll arranged in juxtaposed relation. Each of the partition elements ll comprises a transverse dividing wall l2 and a 8, 1937, -now Patent No.

longitudinal dividing wall l3 secured thereto and extending from one side walls of the several partition elements extending in the same direction and insubstantial alignment. The longitudinal wall of the partition element at the front end of the tray and designated 13a is shaped somewhat differently from the remaining longitudinal wallsas shown in- Fig. 3. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the elements are secured together by a pivotal connection between the longitudinal walls l3 and l3athereof. Each of the walls I3 is provided with a projecting portion l4 arranged to extend through a slot or other suitable opening 15 in the upper portion of the wall l2. Obviously the portion [4 of the element l3 at the rear may be omitted as it is not required for the joining of any further elements to the grid assembly. Lugs l6 and Il may be provided on the longitudinal elements I3 and arranged to project through the lower portion of the slot l5 and an opening l8 respectively, and to be peened over to provide a rigid connection between the transverse wall l2 and the longitudinal wall l3. Flanges l9 are provided at the tops of the transverse partition walls so that a lifting force may be exerted between the top of the ice blocks in the compartment and the partition elements. In order to secure the partition elements in assembled relation, I provide pins 20 secured in holes 2| in the projections l4. Each pin-engages'a slot 22 in the upper portion of theend of the wall l3 of the adjacent partition element. The pins 20 are arranged to slide freely in the slots 22 and therefore provide pivotal connections and also afford limited relative vertical movements between the partition elements. Openings or notches 23 and 24 are provided at the bottom and sides, respectively, of the walls I3 so that water flowing into the tray may flow between the compartments defined by the walls.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a longitudinal sectional view of the tray and partition assembly with ice blocks '25, 26 and .21 in the compartments. When it is desired to remove an ice block from the com-- partment, a lifting tool or lever 28 having a partition element and the transverse wall i2 is also sheared free from the ice'in the adjoining ice block compartment. At the instant that relative thereof, the longitudinal movement takes place between the ice block and the transverse wall, a small flange 30 formed along the lower edge of the transverse wall exerts a force on the ice block, tending to move it along the tray l and breaking the bond between the ice block and the tray. After the pair of ice blocks secured to any one of the partition elements I l have been broken loose, they may readily be removed by rotating the partition element about its pivot pin 20. The ice blocks may be removed from the tray a pair at a time from one end to the other beginning asshown' in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the longitudinal wall Be is provided with an arcuate edge having a radius about the pivot pin and the end of the tray III has a curvature conforming thereto. This curvature of the wall 13a and tray [0 facilitates the rotation of the end partition element and the removal of the first pair of iceblocks. In Fig. 3 the ice block l1 in the end compartment has been shown just after it has been broken loose from the walls of the partition element and from the tray and is ready to be removed from the-tray by rotation of the partition element.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown-in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and includes an arrangement such that each partition element provides three or more ice blocks. Each of the partition elements shown in Fig. 4 comprises a transverse dividing wall l3, a pair of longitudinal dividing walls 32 spaced apart and having projections 33 arranged to extend through slots or openings 34 in the transverse wall 3| and to be secured to the transverse wall thereby. A third longitudinal wall 35 may be secured to the transverse wall between the walls 32 when it is desired to provide a greater number of ice block compartments. The wall 35 is preferably provided with lugs 36 arranged to extend through slots 31 in the transverse wall and to be peened over to secure the wall 35 rigidly in place.

The openings 34 are arranged in the same position in all of the transverse walls 3| and the slots 34 of the several transverse walls are arranged in alignment in two rows, one on either side of the center line of the partition assembly. The two sets of walls 32 are arranged in alignment in. a manner similar to the arrangement of the walls l3 in Fig. 1, the projections 33 extending through the aligned slots 34 and serving to connect the two longitudinal walls to the transverse wall associated therewith.- It will be noted that all the projections 33 are arranged on the inner side of the walls of the adjacent partition elements to which they are pivoted. It will be evident, therefore, that the walls 32 of each element diverge and'are spaced farther apart at their outer ends than at their ends secured to the transverse wall 3|. This arrangement facilitates the removal of ice from the inner compartment between the walls 32 of each element. Obviously a compartment or shelf formed by one of the walls 32 and the wall 35 also increases in width away from the transverse wall 3 I. The operation of the partition assembly shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that of the assembly shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, it being understood that the longitudinal walls in the end compartment correspond to the wall Na in Figs. 1 to 3 and may be constructed with an arcuate form to conform to the contour of the end of the tray I 0.

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that I have provided an ice tray having a partition assembly comprising a plurality of sepathe particular construction shown and described and I intend in the accompanying claims to cover all embodiments within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What 'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A removable partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transverse dividing wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof and a longitudinal dividing wall extending from one side of said transverse wall, the longitudinal wall of each of said elements having a portion projecting through the opening in the transverse wall thereof, said partition elements being arranged in' juxtaposed relation with said longitudinal dividing walls extending inthe same direction and in substantial alignment, and means pivotally connecting said projecting portion of each of a plurality of said longitudinal walls to a respective adjacent one of said partitionelements for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said pivotal connecting means also providing for limited relative vertical movement between saidpartition elements to facilitate {the release of ice blocks from said walls.

2. A removable partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transverse dividing wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof and a longitudinal dividing wall extending from one side of said transverse'dividing wall and having'a portion projecting from the other side of said transverse wall through the opening therein, said partition elements being arranged in juxtaposed relation with said longitudinal dividing walls extending in the'same direction and in substantial alignment, and pivotalxconnecting means arranged to secure the projecting portion of each of a plurality of said longitudinal walls to the longitudinal wall of a respective adjacent partition element for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said pivotal connecting means also providing for limited relative vertical movement between-said partition elements to facilitate the releaseof ice blocks from said walls.

3. A removablepartition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transverse dividing wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof and a longitudinal dividing wall extending from one side of said transverse dividing wallQeach of said longitudinal dividing walls having a slot therein in the upper portion thereof remote from the transverse dividing wall from which it extends and a projection at the other end thereof extending through the opening in said transverse wall, said partition elements being arranged in juxtapassing through the slots in a plurality of said.

longitudinal walls and engaging the projections on respective adjacent longitudinal walls for pivotally connecting said partition elements and for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said pins and slots providing for limited relative vertical movement between said partition elements to facilitate the release of ice blocks from said walls.

4. A removable partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a. plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transverse dividing wall having a mir or spaced apart openings in the g upper portion thereof and a pair of longitudinal dividing walls extending from one side of said transverse wall and one adjacent each of said openings, each of said longitudinal walls having a portion projecting through the respective adjacent opening in said transverse wall of the partition element, said partition elements being arranged in juxtaposed relation with said pairs of openings in longitudinal alignment, and means pivotally connecting said projecting portions of each of a plurality of said longitudinal walls to the longitudinal walls of respective adjacent partition elements for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said projecting portions of each of said longitudinal walls being arranged transversely on the inside of the longitudinal walls of adjacent partition elements pivoted thereto whereby the walls comprising said pairs of longitudinal walls of each of said elements diverge from each other away from the transverse wall from which they extend.

5. A removable partition assembly for freezing trays comprising a plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transver e dividing wall having a pair of spaced apart openings in the upper portion thereof and a pair of longitudinal dividing walls extending from one side of-said transverse wall and one adjacent each of said openings, each of said longitudinal walls having a portion projecting through the respective adjacent opening in said transverse wall of the partition element, said partition elements being arranged in juxtaposed relation with said pairs of openings in longitudinal alignment, and means means pivotally pivotally connecting said projecting portions of 7 each of a plurality of said longitudinal walls to the longitudinal walls of respective adjacent partition elements for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said projecting portions of each of said longitudinal walls being arranged transversely on the inside of the longitudinal walls of adjacent partition elements pivoted thereto whereby the walls comprising said of each of said elepairs of longitudinal walls ments diverge from each other away from the transverse wall from which they. extend, each of said partition elements including a third longitudinal wall secured to the transverse wallthereof intermediate said pair of longitudinal walls thereof and substantially co-extensive with said pair of longitudinal walls for dividing the central compartment formed by said pair of walls, said third walls of said-elements beingarranged in longitudinal alignment.

6. In combination, a freezing tray and a removable partition assembly therefor comprising a plurality of similar partition elements adapted to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, each of said partition elements including a transverse dividing wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof and a longitudinal dividing wall extending from one side of said transverse wall, each of said longitudinal walls having a portion projecting through the opening in one of said transverse walls, said partition elements being arranged in juxtaposed relation with said longitudinal dividing walls extending in the samedirection and in substantial alignment, and

connecting said projecting portion of each of a plurality of .said longitudinal walls to a respective adjacent one of said partition elements for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation, said pivotal connecting means also providing for limited relative vertical movement between said partition elements to facilitate the release of ice blocks from said walls, the longitudinal wall of the partition element adjacent one end of said tray having an arcuate outline having a radius substantially about the pivot point of said element on the element adjacent thereto, the end of said tray having .an arcuate cross-section conforming to the curve of said arcuate longitudinal wall whereby said element at said one end of saidtray may readily be rotated from its position within said tray.

. CARL H. S'IEENS'IRUP. 

